Electric pellet projecting pistol



May l, 1951 w. A. TRATSCH ELECTRIC PELLET PRoJEcTTNG PIsToL 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed OCb. 28, 1947 wm mm mv um .uw mm INVENTOR.

May H, i953 W. A. TRATscH ELECTRIC PELLET PRoJEcTING PIsToL- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 28, 1947 Patented May l, 1951 ELECTRIC PELLET PROJECTING PISTOL Walter A. Tratsch, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Clar ence E. Threedy, Chicago, Ill., as trustee Application October 28, 1947, Serial No. 782,540

1 Claim.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in electric pellet projecting pistols and has for its principal object the provision of an improved construction of this charn acter wherein there is embodied electrically operated mechanism for moving a shot or ball propelling plunger rapidly whereby to project a ball or shot with the maximum of speed.

Among the several objects of the invention is the provision of a target practicing pistol which is simple in construction, easy of operation, and positive in performance.

Yet another and equally important object of the invention is to provide in a target practicing pistol electrically operated means or mechanism, for shot propulsion, synchronized with an electrically operated shot delivering means, all actuated by the simple operation of a trigger.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an interior side elevational view of the pistol embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side View of the reverse side of the pistol as shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to Fig. l but showing the parts in different positions;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail view similar to Fig. 2 but sho-wing the parts in different positions; and

Fig. 5 is a suggested wiring diagram proposed to be employed in the invention.

The several objects of my invention are accomplished by the preferred form of construction shown in the accompanying drawings and by which construction it is proposed to deliver a shot or ball to the firing tube just prior to the operation ci the shot propelling plunger so that each time the plunger is moved toward firing position there will be present in the firing tube a shot or ball for propulsion.

In Fig. l ci the drawing a block is indicated at lil and in this block there is formed a sho-t delivery passage il which communicates with a iring tube l2 forwardly of the plunger tube I3. Communicating with the delivery passage il is a feed tube Eil. Adapted for movement into this passage is a feed plunger l5 formed as a part of a solenoid rod It operating within a magnetic solenoid coil Il.

The rod ll'has a head i8 which limits its upward movement and serves by reason of its Iweight to move the rod i6 downward from shot lifting position after de-energization of the coil ll. The downward movement of the rod i6 is limited by a stop bar i9 secured to the bracket 2i! which supports the coil il from the block l0.

The shot propulsion plunger is indicated at 2i and comprises a solenoid rod movable within a magnetic coil 22. This rod 2l has a head 23 formed thereon and attached to this head as at '4 is one end portion of a return spring 25, the opposite end portion of the spring 25 being connected as at 26 to a mounting plate 2 shapedfor enclosure within the handle portion 28 shown in dotted lines. This plate 2l may be secured to the flange 29 of the coil 22, as at 3l).

Pivotally connected to the plate 21 as at 3| is a trigger 32. This trigger 32 is provided with an integral lifting finger 33 adapted to engage beneath a pin 34. n

This pin 34 is carried by an actuating arm 35 having one end portion provided with an elonl gated slot 35 through which projects the shank of a screw 3l relative to which the actuating arm 35 is longitudinally movable and pivotally connected to the plate 2l.

This actuating arm 35 has a switch-engaging head 38 formed at its upper end portion, the head being provided with an offset portion 39 for reasons hereinafter set forth.

Carried by the plate 2l is a switch structure di? comprising spaced contact fingers 5| and d2. An actuating plate i3 is provided and this plate has connection with the finger Il! by an overthrow spring #it which spring serves to ileX the plate #E3 on opposite sides of its long axis. The end portion @f5 of the actuating plate i3 is adapted to be enga-ged by the oifset portion 35i of the head 33 when the actuating arm S5 is moved upwardlyr y' in a manner hereinafter described. The actuating arm iii is normally held with the head 35i thereof in contact with the actuating plate 4'3 by means of a spring 46 having one end connected to the arm 35 as at lll and the opposite end portion connected to the plate 2l' as at 158.

Rotatably carried by the plate 2l is a ratchet whe-'el and adapted to engage this ratchet wheel di! is a detent 58 pivotaliy carried by the plate 2l as at 5l.

A solenoid coil 52 is carried by the plate 2l and the rod thereof has connection with the detent 59 whereby to disengage the detent from the ratchet wheel 49, the rod .53 being normally urged outwardly of the coil 52 by spring 54. A pin l is carried by the wheel 49 and to this pin 5l is connected one end portion of a spring 52', the opposite end portion of the spring 52 being connected to the pivot pin 55 supporting the wheel 4S, the arrangement being such that rotation of the wheel 49 in an anticlockwise direction will tension the spring so that when the wheel 4S is released by the detent 5B, it 'will rotate under action of the spring 52 to normal starting position. This pin 5 i also serves to limit the anti-clockwise rotation of the wheel 49.

In the wheel 49 are formed a plurality of threaded openings 5G into any one of which is adapted to be threaded a stop pin 5l to limit the clockwise rotation of the wheel 49. This arrangement limits the number of shots to which the player is entitled.

The trigger 32 has pivoted thereto as at 53, an arm 59 the end of which is adapted to engage the wheel 49 to rotate the wheel step by step each time the trigger 32 is pivoted under the pressure of the trigger finger oi the hand. This arm 58 has spring connection with the `inger 33- by means of a spring 6e and is limited in its downward pivotal movement by a stop pin tl carried by the plate 2T. The pin 5I and limiting pin 5l are adapted to cooperate with the plate 62 carried by the plate 2l to limit the rotation of the wheel 49.

On the plate 27, on the reverse side thereof, as viewed in Fig. 2, there is mounted a switch structure 63 comprising a pair of spring contact fingers 64 and 65. Adapted to bear against the iinger 64 is a pin 55 carried by the actuating arm 35.

In Fig. 5 a coin controlled switch is diagrammatically indicated at 5l. This switch 6l controls the circuit to the coil 52 and until this coil 52 is energized, the detent 50 will hold the wheel 49 against clockwise rotation with the result that the trigger will be blocked when the pin 5i engages a plate 52 against movement by engagement of -the arm 59 with the wheel 49. Upon energization of the coil 52, the wheel 49 will return to starting position and the trigger 32 will be free to pivot under linger pressure. Pivotal movement of this trigger under nger pressure in an anti-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. i

will initially move the actuating arm 35 upwardly as viewed in Fig. l to move the actuating plate 43 to a position 'where the overthrow spring 4f; will move the contact iinger 4i into engagement with the contact finger i2 whereupon the coil I will be energized and move the solenoid rod I6 upwardly to a position where the shot or ball B will enter the plunger tube i3 and roll to a position X, Fig. l, in a position to be engaged by the propulsion plunger 2l the gun being tilted slightly upwardly to cause the shot to roll by gravity to such position.

As the arm 35 continues its upward movement, the pressure of the pin 66 against the end portion of the contact nger 64 will move the same into contact with the contact nger 5 whereby to energize the coil 22 to move the propulsion plunger 2| in firing direction with respect to the tube I2. The nal upward movement of the actuating arm 35 will cause the oiset portion 39 to be disengaged from the actuating plate 43 allowing this plate 43 to return to its initial position during which the overthrow spring 44 will disengage the finger 4I from the finger 42 to deenergize the coil I?. Return of the actuating arm 35 to its initial position will dis-engage the contact finger $34 from the finger 55 to de-energize the coil 22.

Upon conclusion of a predetermined number of shots, the pin 5i will have been moved into engagement with the plate 62 and will block the trigger against operation until the coil 52 is again energized.

Suitable `means may be provided at the mouth of the feed tube I4 to prevent the balls or shots from accidentally dropping therefrom. This means may be in the form of a spring leaf I4 attached to the tube I4 as shown in Fig. l with an end portion thereof yieldably projecting into the path of movement of shots or balls.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided. a target practicing pistol which is entirely electrically operated; that a simple and effective means is provided for delivering a ball or shot to the firing tube just prior to the movement of the propulsion plunger 2|. In this iring tube at the point X may be provided a leaf spring i2 similar to the spring it to prevent accidental rolling oi the ball or shot from the tube l2.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described our invention, what I claim. as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A target practicing pistol comprising a ring tube, a shot feeding tube communicating with the firing tube, magnetically actuated means including a coil and a plunger, the latterl engageable with a shot substantially adjacent the point of communication between the feeding tube and the firing tube for delivering a shot to a firing position in the firing tube from the feeding tube, magnetically actuated means including a coil and a plunger, the latter movable into the firing tube to engage a shot delivered thereto by the plunger of the first named magnetically actuated means, for projecting said shot from said iii-ing position within said firing tube, and trigger actuated means for successively energizing the coils of said magnetically actuated shot delivering means and said magnetically actuated shot firing means.

WALTER A. TRATSCH.

REFERENCES CITED The foilowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'IEN'I'S Number Name Date 441,613 Coyle Nov. 25, 1890 2,199,909 Perryman Apr. 30, 1940 2,304,320 Tratsch Dec. 8, 1942 

